Conservation

South Dallas residents deserve healthier food than what’s available, but overcoming the long history of neglect that contributed to its systemic food shortage is anything but simple. Community leaders and advocates have struggled for decades to tackle the menace of food deserts, which contribute to serious malnutrition and chronic malaise. Not only do few retailers…

A little more than 10 years ago, while diving and filming in the South Pacific, I witnessed something so beautiful and so terrible that it changed the course of my life. First, the beautiful: During my dives to remote reefs in the Central Pacific, I discovered the magic of swimming with hundreds of sharks. Now,…

This October, SXSW Eco will once again convene global experts and leaders in Austin, where they will discuss the latest data, trends and solutions to lead us towards a hope-filled, sustainable future. The annual conference focuses on environmental and sustainability issues like energy, smart planning, sustainable food, and increasingly, the ocean. The conference announced last…

I cringe at opening my electricity bill during the summer in Texas. On 100-degree days, my air conditioner fights to keep the inside cool, but it’s a losing battle. I rent an old house with lots of cracks and crevices, which makes cold winters difficult as well. The old windows are layered shut with paint…

When the Ebola virus first hits you, it starts with a headache. But with horrifying haste, it sets in like a stroke. Blood vessels break and intestines split open, turning internal organs into a toxic soup. Death comes in convulsions as the body crashes and bleeds out. To paraphrase from The Hot Zone, the 1994 bestseller…

The cities where we live are heating up, but the places where we live need to be cool. What does the urban heat island look like here in Dallas? Over 100 people recently gathered at the Grey To Green conference, hosted by the Texas Trees Foundation, to hear from Dr. Brian Stone, Jr., the author…

Recently, a thought provoking study on ocean plastics was published. In 2010 and 2011, after months of scouring the five major ocean gyres for plastic particulate, researchers found that 99% of all the plastic that was estimated to be floating on the ocean was missing. These findings stirred a flurry of discussion trying to assess…

In our busy world, we often rush on at warp speed, ignoring many of the tiny living creatures on which we depend. Too often we take these little things for granted, seldom giving them a first thought, let alone a second one. Pity, given that these very small creatures are essential to our continued existence…

For the last 22 years, June 8th has brought World Oceans Day, a United Nations-recognized day of ocean celebration. This year we witnessed the creation of America’s first official Ocean Month. Established by Presidential Proclamation, Obama set June as a month for “our obligations to good ocean stewardship.” World Oceans Day traditionally showcases and highlights…

Transparent sea snails known as pteropods – meaning “wing-foot” – are the butterflies of the open ocean. Not only are these tiny, free swimming molluscs beautiful to look at, but they play a pivotal role in the ocean’s food web. They are an important component of the diet of fish-like salmon, herring, and other species…